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A. H. NERO.

ATTACHMENT PLUG FITTING.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.10, 1913- 1,194,218.

Patehted Aug. 8, 1916.

flRv/a A. Alena M42138 UNITED STA ES PATENT OFFICE.

ARVID H. NERO, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE ARROW ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ATTACHMENT-PLUG FITTING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed December 10, 1913. Serial No. 805,807.

is a specification.

My invention relates to attachment plug fittings and particularly to a fitting of the flush receptacle type, the object of my invention being to provide therefor a face plate of novel and improved construction.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a flush receptacle showing an attachment plug in inserted position; Fig.2 is a section at right angles thereto; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cover plate of the receptacle; Fig. 4 is an inverted plan thereof; Fig. 5'is a side elevation, partially broken away, showing the shutter frame and shutters; Fig. 6 is a transverse section therethroughon the line 6-6, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detached perspective of. these parts; and Fig. 8 is a detached perspective of a modified detail.

The body of the present flush receptacle is of well known type comprising a cup 10 of insulating material, centrally divided in its lower portion by an integral barrier 11. On opposite sides of the barrier are arranged the jack receiving spring terminals 12 and 13 connected by straps 14, 15 to the binding screws 16,17. The plug element is also of generally known type and comprises an insulating body 18 carrying the plugging jacks 1 9 and 20 to which the branch circuit wires are connected within the'body of the plug in wellunderstood manner, (not shown).

The cover plate 21 for the receptacle is carried by ears 22 at each end of the receptacle and to which the plate is secured by screws passing through countersunk holes- 23, 24. The plate is also provided with a pair of holes 25, 26 registering with the spring terminals 12 and 13, "to permit the passage therethrough of the jacks 19 and 20. To exclude foreign substances from the receptacle when the plug is not inserted, I provide a pair of shutters 27 and 28 normally closing the holes and 2,6, but automatically opening on the insertion of the jacks. These shutters may be variously shaped and mounted. As here shown they com-.

prise a pair of slide plates of like size and shape provided with end lugs 29 which engage in oppositely inclined guide slots 30,

31 formed in the parallel sides 32, 33 of the shutter frame 34 and converging toward the face plate. Centrally of the bridge portion of the frame, a downwardly extending well 35 is secured, within which is seated a spring 36 coiled around the fixed guide pin 37 A. presser plate 38 guided by the pin 27, rests upon the spring36 and is constantly pressed by the latter against the inner faces of the shutters 27 and 28. Lugs 39 on the Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

sides of the frame are inserted in grooves 40 cut in the inner surface of the face plate, and the frame with parts assembled is secured in fixed position by stamping the sides of the grooves over the lugs 39 as at 41 (Fig. 4). Recesses 42 in the opposite ends of the presser plate 38 and holes 43 in the frame 34 lie in register with the holes 23-, 24 in the face plate and help to guide the jacks to the terminals 12 and 13 of the receptacle.

In normally closed position the adjacent edges of the shutters 27 28 meet in a plane forming a common diameter of both holes 25, 26. On the insertion of the jacks, the shutters are pressed downward and are spread apart by the diverging guide slots 30, 31. As the shutters move downward, the presser plate 38 is vertically depressed, thus tensioning still further the spring 36. Consequently when the jacks are withdrawn the spring 36 expanding, forces the presser plate 38 upward and the overlying shutters 27, 28 traveling in the guide slots 30, 31 are.

brought together again and so close the holes 25 and 26. No inconvenience is experienced if one jack enters somewhat in advance of the other, since sufficient play is afforded between the presser plate38 and its guide pin 37 to permit the plate to rock slightly,

While there is nothing to prevent the shut ters from spreading at one end in advance ofthe other end.

The assembly andmounting of the shutter mechanism in its frame is simple and.

economical while its operation is certainand efficient.

' Various modifications of the construction Thus in will, readily suggest themselves. Fig. 8- the guide pin 44 for the presser plate 45 is non-circular and the presser plate has tending wings bear against the shutters 27, 28 in both open and closed position.

I claim as my invention l. A shutter mechanism for the apertured face plate of a flush receptacle, comprising a pair of shutters meeting at the aperture 'in said face plate, means for causing said shutters to diverge on their inward movement, and spring means common to said shutters for returning them to closure position at the aperture.

2. A shutter mechanism for the apertured face plate of a flush receptacle, comprising a pair of shutters meeting at the aperture in said face plate, means for causing said shutters to diverge, in the same plane, on their inward movement, and spring means common to said shutters for returning them to closure position at the aperture.

3. A shutter mechanism for the apertured face plate of a flush receptacle, comprising a pair of shutters meeting at the aperture in said face plate, a frame in which the ends of said shutters are supported, divergent guides for said shutters separating the same as they are depressed and means common to said shutters for automatically returning the same to original position upon their release.

4. A shutter mechanism for the apertured face plate of a flush receptacle, comprising a pair of shutters meeting at the aperture in said face plate, a frame having divergent guide slots in which the ends of said shutters are supported whereby the shutters are separated on depression, and means common to said shutters for automatically returning the same to original position upon their release.

5. A shutter mechanism for the apertured face plate of a flush receptacle, comprising a pair of shutters meeting at the aperture in said face plate, a frame having divergent guide slots in which the ends of said-shutters are supported whereby the shutters are separated on depression, a vertically guided presser plate beneath said shutters, and a spring constantly forcing said presser plate against said shutters whereby upon the release of the latter after depression they are automatically returned to original position.

6. A shutter mechanism for the apertured face plate of a flush receptacle, comprising a pair of shutters meeting at the aperture in said face plate, guide means to cause said shutters to diverge on their inward movement, and spring means common to said shutters for returning them to closure position at the aperture, in combinatlon with a plug having a jack adapted to pass through the aperture in the cover plate and bear against the shutters to force the latter down their diverging guides, substantially as described.

7. A rcceptacle of the character described having a face plate apertured to admit a .plug element, a shutter mechanism arranged 8. A self-contained shutter mechanism for an apertured face plate of the character described, comprising a frame with end webs each having divergent guide slots therein, a pair of shutters having their ends engaged in said guide slots, a presser plate guided on said frame, and engaging one face ofv said shutters and spring means mounted on said frame and bearing against said presser plate to force the latter against said shutters in a direction to maintain the latter normally at the converging ends of their guide slots in the frame, substantially as described.

9. A shutter mechanism for an apertured face plate of the character described comprising independent shutters havingtheir edges meeting substantially on the diameter of the aperture in the cover plate, means for guiding said shutters apart in planes at an angle to the plane of the cover plate on the depression of said shutters, and means common to said shutters for automatically returning the same to closure position after depression.

10. A shutter mechanism for an apertured face plate of the character described comprising independent shutters havin their edges meeting substantially on the diameter of the aperture in the cover plate, means for guiding said shutters apart under the pressure of an enterin plug element, to permit the latter to pass letween the shutters and means for maintaining said shutters in the same plane with relation to each other in both open and closed position thereof.

11. A shutter mechanism for an apertured face plate of the character described comprising independent shutters having their edges meeting substantially on the diameter of the aperture in the cover plate, means for guiding said shutters inward and apart under the pressure of an entering plug element to permit the latter to pass betweenthe shutters and means to maintain said shutters in planes substantially parallel to the face plate in all positions thereof.

12. A receptacle of the character-described having a face plate provided with a pair of independent apertures to admit a pair of plug jacks and a shutter mechanism comprising a pair of inwardly displaceable shutters common to and meetin at said apertures, means for causing sai shutters to diverge on their inward movement and means for automatically returning them to closure position at the apertures on their release.

13. A face plate for receptacles of the type described having a pair of independent apertures to admit a pair of plug jacks, and a shutter mechanism mounted on the inner face of said plate and comprising a pair of inwardly displaceable shutters common to and meeting at said apertures, means for causing said shutters to diverge on their inward movement and means for automatically returning them to closure position at the pertures on their release.

14. A shutter mechanism for the apertured face of a flush receptacle comprising a shutter frame bridging the aperture of the face plate and recessed to permit the passage of a plugging member therethrough, a pair of inwardly displaceable shutters carried by said frame, means for causing said shutters to diverge on their inward movement and means for automatically returning the shutters to closure position on their release.

15. A shutter mechanism for a face plate having a pair of independent pluggin -apertures, a shutter frame bridging said apertures and recessed to permit a pair of plugging members to pass therethrough, a pair of inwardly displaceable shutters common to said apertures, means for causing said shutters to diverge on their inward movement and means for automatically returning the shutters to closure position on their release.

16-. A shutter mechanism for the apertured face plate of a flush receptacle comprising a pair of inwardly displaceable fiat shutters the edges of which normally meet at the aperture in the face plate and having bearing lugs at their opposite ends, support ing means at said ends comprising divergent in directions at an angle to the plane of the cover plate on their inward movement and means displaceable inwardly at substantially right angles to the cover plate serving to return said shutters to normal position.

18. A receptacle of the character described having a face plate provided with a pair of independent apertures to admit a pair of plug jacks and a shutter mechanism comprising a pair of inwardly-displaceable diverging shutters common to and meeting at said apertures, and guide means loosely engaging the opposite ends of said shutters to permit the inward displacement and separation of the same at one plug aperture in advance of the other, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my ARVID H. NERO. Witnesses CHAS. R. HARE, GEORGE A. GAUTHEIR. 

